Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures are both claiming their new films, Cowboys & Aliens and The Smurfs, earned $36.2 million at the weekend box office, making it impossible to determine which of the two films won the weekend until the final figures come in on Monday. We’ll be updating this item once the figures come in, so stay tuned. What we do know is that Cowboys & Aliens opened in 3,750 theaters and averaged $9,653 per theater while The Smurfs debuted in 3,395 theaters and averaged $10,663. The former also cost $163 million to make, not counting marketing costs, and the latter was budgeted at $110 million.
Director Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens features a cast that includes Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Noah Ringer, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown, Ana de la Reguera and Abigail Spencer. The Smurfs stars Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, Hank Azaria, Anton Yelchin, Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Paul Reubens, John Oliver, Kenan Thompson, B.J. Novak, Jeff Foxworthy, Wolfgang Puck, Gary Basaraba and Tim Gunn.
Last week’s champ, Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger dropped to third place and 61.7% in ticket sales to take in $24.9 million its second weekend. The $140 million comic book adaptation has earned $116.8 million domestically so far.
Warner Bros.’ Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows – Part 2 added $21.9 million domestically to push its total to $318.5 million after three weeks. The epic finale passed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office on Saturday.
WB’s new Crazy, Stupid, Love. rounded out the top five with $19.3 million from 3,020 theaters. Starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon, the film averaged $6,391 per theater.
In its second weekend, Screen Gems’ Friends With Benefits dipped 50.1% in sales, collecting $9.3 million for a total of $38.2 million. The romantic comedy cost $35 million to make. Also costing that amount was New Line’s Horrible Bosses, which added $7.1 million its fourth weekend for a total of $96.2 million.
Michael Bay’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon earned $5.97 million its fifth weekend to bring its total to $337.9 million domestically. The Paramount release cost $195 million to make.
